New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-08-29
"REFORM' IN THE NAVY.
IR. wHITNEY's REORGANIZATION SCHEME.
HOW IT WORKS IN pRAcrIcE-soME ACTS OF

DOUBTFUL LEGALITY.
rpY TELEGRAPH TRIBUNE.
WASHINGTON. Aug. 2s-secretary whitney In his nrst
annual report dweit with special emphasis upon the ap
parent OF business method prevailing In the Naval
esablishmentnot only In the department at Washing
ton but also at the navy yards and stations
at homo and abroad The method OF pur-
chasing any article. however inexpensive.
pronounced by the Secretary only worthy OF con-
demnation aud susceptible OF being utilized for fraud
and rascaty The bureau system which was conceived
and brought into being under Democratic rule. was
charged with being "vcous" and plan of reorgani-
zation was mapped out, which the lawmaking power
was urged to adopt This system briefly, was one OF
concentration, placing the power to purchase mate
rial, whether by contract or open purchase In
the hands Of man. Congress did not
adopt or even originate legislation looking
10 the asked for Again. in his second re-
port the Secretary unsuccessfuly renewed MS reco
mendations, and urged Con ngresslonsl action.
Notwithstanding these rebuis, the Secretary n No
vember 1885, convened board OF officers and directed
the consolidation and reorganization which he
had mapped out, and which he had requested au-
thority Of law to carry into effect. Evidently
way had been devised avoid law and put into oper-
alton system which would substantially Kill the bureau
organization established In 1912.
The first move was direct the consolidation OF all
Government stores at each yard and station aud on
OF all vessels OF in agensral storehouso under
the charge paymaser whose title at yards and stations
was to DO general storekeeper 1t became necessary In
order to enforce this order direct the arbitrary dspo
son OF large quantity of stores by public auction to
enable the proper and custody OF what might re-
MAN. Many thousands OF dollars worth Of stores were
thus disposed OF at Norfolk New York and other naval
| stations.
| The next move was the order directing the various
chiefs OF to be prepared and submitted
schedules OF materials required for the of the Navy
| IN he cla advertised contracted
for by the PaymasterGeneral under tue direc-
| ton of the Secretary. Coupled with this
| order the authority given tho Paymas
| ter-General to pay all bills nnler the various
appropriations pertaining to the Naval establishment
| aud TO make all purchases.
These orders have covered the 1rst clause OF Mr.
Whitney's proposed reorganization Of the Navy Are
they practically better than the old system Probably
the experience OF the Department down to this time
would require negative answer. Tic consolida-
| ton OF stores ut tho navy yards has. II
| is true made greater amount OF rei tape
necessary aud has made way, not only to get rid OF
old clerical force, but the following facts Indicate
to increase the erpsnse OF handling AMI caring for the
| store.
Under the organization prior July the entire pay
roll various bureaus. including clerks store
| men and laJorcrs required 70 handle stores, wal
about 100000 Tho reorg aniEed force of employee
clerks bookkeepers receivers, deiverers, etc. Including
the same labor force under the Bureau OF Provisions
aad Clothing before July l. gives aggregate pay
roll OF SII2OOO The Secretary undoubtedly will claim
that he has made saving Of s57 600 But this question
Immediately arose IN the Department: How wiz you
Stsr Iureaus iRSa that OF provisions and clothing r.
IL be done by An order directing tho command
make a requisiuon for labor oD the bureau to
which the stores pertaned. as each appropriation con-
tanned clause which provided for the =" handling ana
preservation OF materials and stores IL will be readily
that II tako from the storehou.o tae materials re-
ared by each bureau ana which hal been ped &
them In building perhaps mile away, whefc they
required for will OF necessity Increase the cost
OF handling aud thus make TINS feature OF MT whitney
scheme excessively expensive one TO the Government
trssnen. and .oaI,IsS, Tor deay sSrs. viii de-
lay work and hamper the operauons OF
candle be obtained and used by the construction
Bureau. for instance. without first making quadruph.
three oicers including the commzndant before the arti
Gle he taken from store.
materials IL not OF such serOus nature, would Dr
udicrous. The classification OF the schedules under
direction OF the Secretary Is most unbasinesslke
and respects absurd Class s. as an Illustration
calls for becswaI .scrue-brushes cotton needles com
mon clay fire clay cork Jackets sail needles and salt
water soap! SO also common clay and sand classe
wth rubber packing waste 10 scorcs e Of ds which
were formal but upon which nevertheless contracts
were awarded In violation OF Section No. 37ls OF the
Revi od statutes which distinctly provides the manner
| OF awarding contracts for the whole OF any class
Another noticeable feature is the fact that the largest
two contractors under the advertisement OF July last
are who have borne that relation TO the
| these contracts are 10 he attended with the same
scandalOus results denounced In Mr. Whitneys hrst
| report ~, .,
by the Secretarys new scheme will strike business
man and particularly those connected with the disbur.
ing OF funds under the Government As rather like boy
play. Under the laws governing appropriations an OF
them, being made specific are under the control OF the
chiefs OF tie respective bureaus to which they pertain
Consequently, all acquisitions Tor money must DC slgncu
by proper chief the authority under Nhch the sec
retary requests the Treasury TO Issue warrants Win
loud trnmpets and great flourish MI whitney by "a dash M
of his pen the Finance Bureau with the Pay
maser-C eneral at its head Result the latter officer
directs that the acquisitions for the money required TO
pay bills shall he written In his bureau aud transmitted
TO the proper for signature Hence the Finance
Bureau resolves itself into mere copying machine IOr
the other bureaus. =,
The purchase OF materials under the new system Is
DELAYED by requiring the issue OF the order by te Pay
enera duty which, under the old system. was
fastened by being performed by the chief whose educa
| ton and experience eminently qualified him for IT,
Recently requisltOn for diver necessary under the
cogznce of of the bureaus acted upon by the
Pay General The bureaus representative at the
| yard was customary, obtained bid from the only
diver at the station and based his estimate OF the cost
upon the BID. The chief, from professional knowledge
beng that IL was as cheap as tue service cod De
procured approved 1t aud transmitted the rcguiston to
| the Finance Bureau" for approval. The Paymaser
General after striking out the estimate and directing
| that competition should be invited" approved the
70 iusition This Is probably fair Illustration OF Mr
Wbimey's" business methods"
IL may be not alnlss add that by direction Of the
Secretary OF the Navy, "a hill OF the public printer
amounting to ~ G62 90 for printing the schedules oil
materials required for use In the Navy during the cur
fiscal year, was paid out oi the appropriation Ioi
| contingent provisions aud clothing, 1888" The er
PLANTATION s that many forms and blanks have been
required under MrWhitneys reorganization scheme that
and the contingent appropriation was diverted Con
gress might with great pr priey request the secretary
authority for this action. The bill was mado out and
approved by the Paymaster-Genera and paid by Pay
Director Locker at Washington
DEA TN or OORSELIUSL STAGE